bilingualism considering bilingualism it is needed to

8/14/2019 Bilingualism Considering Bilingualism It is Needed To

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Bilingualism

Considering bilingualism it is needed to give a definition of that notion as well as to

explain who a bilingual really is. As said by Uriel Weinreich, one of the pioneers in the study

of bilingualism, the practice of alternately using two languages is called Bilingualism and

the individuals involved Bilinguals1. Nevertheless, his theory is argued since it is a result of

Weinreich’s ignoring of factors such as the age at which each of the languages was acquired,

their context, the order of acquisition and the level of mastery achieved in each of

the aptitudes. Regarding bilingualism as interpreting competence, the interpreter must achieve

mastery of his working languages. The age at which the languages were acquired or

the context of this acquisition is the outcome of the learning process. One of the aspects of

such outcome are the skills commanded by the bilingual interpreter in both languages2. As far

as language skills are concerned, the notion of bilingual is generally associated with

somebody who is capable of expressing himself in two different languages.

When attempt to determine the linguistic skills of the translator we can approach

the question with prescriptive criteria; we must ask what is the most desirable combination

of skills in which a translator must be specialized. There are three factors in play here:

(1) directionality (i.e., direct translation [L2>L1] versus inverse translation [L1>L2]);

(2) the modality (oral or written translation); (3) the specific language combination. In

the following Figure I have outlined the languages and skills in which the translator and

interpreter must be competent for the respective tasks of translating and interpreting3.

Oral reception Oral production Written reception Written

production

Direct translation L2 L1

Inverse translation L1 L2

Direct interpreting L2 L1

Inverse

interpreting

L2 L1

Fig.3. Specialized skills in the translator and interpreter4

Bilingualism is generally divided into the social and the individual. In natural

conditions both types of bilingualism are correlative since communication existing and

1E. Lipińska: Język ojczysty, język obcy, język drugi. Kraków: Uniwersytet Jagielloński 2003, p. 100.2Ch. Schäffner, B. Adab: Developing Translation Competence. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins,

Benjamins Translation Library 2000, pp. 20 – 21.3Ibidem.4Ibidem, p. 22.



functioning of bilingual society results from individual bilingualism of its members which is

indispensible for an individual who wants to effectively participate in a communication

activity among such society5.

The social bilingualism concerns two groups relatively separate which stay in touch on

the common territory. In this case a very important role play i.e. the amount of people,

economic, social, religious, and cultural conditions as well as language policy which leads to

balance6.

Among the variety of definitions of bilingualism concerning social bilingualism it can

be given a few such as:

Bilingualism occurs when in a particular country operate two languages at a time, which are

used by one national group comprising the majority of society7.

Bilingualism means everyday speaking two different languages by a particular social group.

Bilingualism is produced in the premises ethnically mixed up. The necessity of living

together makes the representatives of one social group use the native language of

the second one8.

The individual bilingualism is regarded and analyzed more often. When defining

the individual there must be regarded four criteria such as: origin, competence, usage and

attitude.

The most important and most applied are competence (proficiency) and usage (function).

For the classic and important definitions are regarded:

In the extreme case of foreign language learning, the speaker becomes so proficient as to be

indistinguishable from the native speakers round him (…). In the cases where this perfect

foreign – language learning is not accompanied by loss of the native language, it results in

bilingualism, [the] native – like control of two languages9.

Bilingualism is complete mastery of two different languages without interference between

the two linguistic processes10.

5E. Lipińska: Język ojczysty…, p. 100.6Ibidem7Ibidem.8K. Polański: Encyklopedia językoznawstwa ogólnego. Wrocław: Ossolineum 1999, p. 130. 9F. Grosjean: Life with Two Languages: An Introduction to Bilingualism. Cambridge: Harvard University Press

1982, p. 231.10T. Skutnabb – Kangas: Bilingualism or not: The Education of Minorities. London: Multilingual Matters 1981,

p. 82.

bilingualism considering bilingualism it is needed to

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